Detriot River

[river rookie]

I am getting ready for a week long trip to the river the second week of April and would like to know what plastics for jigs work best there. Or are minnows better? I have been there once before but for only two days and the weather was terrible. So I didn't get a chance to experiment much. I am also wondering what size jig I can use. Last year the guys I fish with were using 5/8 to 3/4 oz. but I did't like the feel I got using that heavy of a jig. Can I use 3/8 to 1/2oz. and still stay vertical if they are using the heavier jigs and adjusting the boat for their drift? I will be using fireline 8/3 or 6/2. Thanks in advance.

P.s.This is my only vacation for this year so any other tips that anybody has to share to help make this trip succesful will be greatly appreciated.

[Hunter]

Everyone in the boat should use the same size, its impossible to keep everyone vertical with different weights. I find Berkley's are far better than anyother type of plastic on the river. Use the standard bright color's in grub tails, also pick up a pack of the 4" finesse worms in pumpkinseed. Alway's tip with a minnow and stinger!!!

[RIVERRUNNER]

Hey River rookie,it sounds like you've had a fair amount of experiance fishing rivers,by the way you described your questions.Anyway, I prefer having everyone on the same diameter line, unless they are very experianced, you won't be able to keep all lines vertical.Jig sieze will also throw the lines out of vertical,use the same sieze and style of jig.My partner for the day will call the jig sieze.It doesn't matter that I can jig 40' down w/ a 1/4 oz jig, if my partner can't,you lose the abillity too both feel bottom.If your partners use 8-10# mono, use fireline w/ a similar diameter.Also if you use fireline,tie a 2 ft mono leader on, and back your drag off.As far as livebait goes ,I haven't used livebait in many years.Plastics vary widely, from tubes, twisters, worms,craws and many more.The most popular is 4" brown worm,but I don't prefer it early in the year.Bring lots and change untill you find what they want.I use 8# xt solar w/5/8OZ jigs and plastic minnows,90% of the time.Hope this helps Good luck.P.s watch for the posts, 2 week in april should be prime .

[river rookie]

Thanks for the info. Just to let you know that the two guys I fish with one runs 8# mono and the other, that actually runs the troller uses 14# fireline so I thought that if I run 6/2 fireline I could go lighter on the jig and still be vertical with him?
p.s. I do have river experience but it is on the St. Joe. The Detroit is a different ballgame. THANKS

[Tom (mich)]

If you're coming the second week of April, the water will have warmed to the mid 40's or so. I prefer plastics alone under this circumstance. 4" Powerbait worm in most any color will do. It takes some time to build confidence without minnows, but stick with it - we've found absolutely no difference in catch rates, both with and without minnows.

For jig size, it depends where you're at. In the shallow lower stretches of the river you can get by with 1/4 oz to 3/8 oz - I recommend nothing lighter. In the deeper, upper stretches (30-40 ft) - I never use anything less than 1/2 oz and more often go with 3/4 oz.